Update 7/10-7/11/25: Day 44&45 Hong Kong and Chicago Bound

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.”

Quick update: Our last day in China is today. The typhoon continued to impact the last of our trip. Our flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong was delayed for over two hours. We were so tired when we arrived at our hotel that we crashed. There was no way I was hanging out at the airport overnight for our layover. It was worth every penny to get a good nights sleep! I shared this on Facebook, but this was the meal the kids had for lunch yesterday. They were thrilled to have a hamburger for the first time in 44 days. It was the only western food in Shanghai airport that we could find.

The Shanghai airport is right by the ocean. It was crazy to see planes and then freighter boats floating by. The air quality was terrible yesterday in Shanghai. 

The kids turned on the tv waiting for their turn for the shower. Micaela saw this western and said it would be something Wayne would watch. Then Clint Eastwood’s face popped up and I was like, yep, a favorite of Wayne!

Last beautiful view of Hong Kong!

View from our hotel room.

Once we land “today”, since we are traveling back in time, I will post again with a summary of our trip. 

Please pray for a safe flight and drive home. I hate flying. I think that is one reason I loved the bullet train. 

Update 7/9/25: Day 43 - Suzhou/Changshu

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.”

We spent our last day in Xiamen yesterday. I couldn’t upload pictures on yesterday's post because I didn’t have wifi. 

Shan playing games with Jason, Yuan and Wei Wei’s son. They had a blast hanging out together. 

Our last subway ride in Xiamen.

Xiamen high speed railway station. We managed to navigate the train, including transferring to another train. We are thankful for the times we could learn with Juyi!

Low tide 

Ocean farming: miles of this where they farm everything they eat in the ocean.

Beautiful scenery as we traveled through China. I cannot say it enough that I love high speed trains! I get to enjoy traveling like Wayne and I do in America, but I get to sit back and not drive. God’s creation is just amazing!!

Waiting for our second train, which we managed to board and find on our own!!

We arrived in Changshu around midnight last night! Thank you for all your prayers!!

This morning Jackie taught me his magic in making XO sauce. He makes the best I’ve ever had. He then made us shrimp fried rice, which was amazing! 

China is so easy to photograph and I will miss the ancient beauty found everywhere. 

The kids nicknamed this kitten spidey-kitten.

We found out they have poisonous toads in China! Micaela quickly washed her hands!!

We went sightseeing a little this afternoon and then finished the last of our packing. We will leave tomorrow morning around 8 to drive to the airport. We are so close to the last leg of our trip. 

Update: Sophia

I spoke with Sophia and Wayne today. Remember how Sophia had to get an MRI for her knee before she flew to Washington? Turns out she obliterated her ACL like Grace. She will be having surgery 7/21 and had to cancel the rest of her summer plans.